Stay
by KricketWilliams
Summary: When unforeseen circumstances cause Garcia to lose her apartment, Morgan Helps out. Still in a fluffy mood... As usual, I don't own a thing.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

_AN: Still in a fluffy mood....Newest thing.... A little fluff, a touch of angst (of course!), a dash of fun, a pinch of heat, and a lot of love....._

"Good Lord," Penelope said, sitting across from her landlord. If it was physically possible for Penelope to be speechless, this would've done it. "When are you going to do that?"

Jim Rivers, a very nice older man with a gray beard and a potbelly, had the good graces to look sheepish. He should; he was kicking her out of her home. Well, technically not kicking her out, but still…

"The senior community is going to be very nice here. It is much needed in the community. The city council was looking at this site for a long time, since it has an enclosed courtyard," he said. "You are welcome to stay, of course, Miss Garcia."

She started to laugh. "I'm thirty-two, Mr. Rivers. What thirty-two year old wants to live in a retirement community?"

He stared blankly at her. "Well, there are some benefits…"

"No, thank you," she said. "One month?"

"Well, as soon as possible would be best, in that case. We need to start renovations. You understand how that goes," he said. He looked sheepish again, adding, "You've been a very enjoyable tenant here, Miss Garcia. If you'd like to stay, you would be no trouble; I think you'd fit in."

Fit in? Jeez, she felt like she was eighty-two. She didn't have a huge party lifestyle, but she did have a steady boyfriend and made some noise once in awhile. Well, not as often as she'd like to. She was no Morgan, that's for sure, but still…

She was sure he didn't mean to be insulting, but that didn't discount the fact that he was. "Again, no thank you."

He didn't say anything else, just nodded and left.

And Pen was officially homeless.

*****************

"That's rotten, how that went down, baby girl," Derek said over the phone. He was munching on something crunchy on the other end. It was driving her crazy. "Don't they have to give you more notice?"

"No, they… what are you eating?"

"Protein bar. I had to grab something quick; no time to get anything else," he said. "Eating on the run."

"Oh," she said. Poor Morgan, they were running him ragged lately. He was either out of town, in training, or speaking somewhere. He obviously hated it, which made Pen feel even worse. Right now, he was calling from North Dakota, and hadn't slept in two days. It made her worry about him. "You need to take care of yourself; you're going to get sick."

"P," he said, laughing a little. "We were talking about you. Only a month's notice?"

"Yeah, that's all the city requires they give a tenant. He said I could stay, but-"

"You didn't consider that, did you?" He was absolutely incredulous.

"No," she said, but her brow furrowed. Really, being there was better than not having a home. She looked, there was very limited housing in the area, due to all the naval families that moved in and out all the time.

"But what, baby?" he said, surprising her. "I can tell you're thinking of something in that pretty head of yours."

"There's no place to go, honey." She sighed, "I looked all last night; no apartments except some seedy places in town I don't want to live."

He was quiet for just a few seconds. "How about with me for awhile, until you find a good place?" She started to laugh, but he surprised her by continuing. "No, really. I'm never there, so it would be nice to have somebody around to watch things. We don't irritate each other—"

"We would, living together," she said. She couldn't impose like that. They were friends, really good friends, but that was it. She barely knew what his place looked like.

"Come on," he said. "It would be fun to have a roommate. Haven't done that since college, so I'm looking forward to it."

"Alright," she agreed begrudgingly. Then she added quickly, "But you can kick me out if I cramp your style,"

"It's going to be fine," he said. "You'll see. I'm gone so much, we'll barely see each other."

"I wouldn't really want that either," she said, purring slightly. "I like seeing you, my vision. Seeing all of you would be preferable...."

"Now that's my girl," he said, and she could tell he was smiling, even though she couldn't see him. "See you when I get home, and we'll work it out."


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

_AN: Thank you for the reviews, you folks are awesome and make me want to type all the more. One more chapter for tonight, because I don't know if I'll get to post tomorrow...._

By the end of the month, Penelope had most of her boxes into Derek's place. She officially changed residence tomorrow, the first of the month. When she told her friends, they all thought it was surprising she was going to have a male roommate, but they were mostly supportive. After all, it was just Morgan; Garcia mentioned him enough times they knew he was harmless.

The BAU team thought it was odd and rather funny, since she and Morgan were already attached at the hip most of the time. And they each had their individual comments:

"Um.. are you absolutely sure this is a good idea? Studies have shown there are negative effects on cohabitation between non-sexual men and women, usually changing the variance of their relationship to a sexual one-"

"Reid," Garcia interrupted. "We're not like that with each other. No 'variances' are going to change. It's _Morgan_, for Pete's sake!"

"I think it'll probably work," Prentiss said, shrugging her shoulders. "Not that much different than being here. We all practically live here."

Rossi laughed. "That's true. I have one line of sage advice after living with many, many women: The toilet seat stays down."

Hotch just shook his head and walked away.

"It's not permanent anyway," JJ mentioned, and the whole group seemed kind of relieved at that.

The only person who thought it was a really terrible idea was Kevin. He even offered for Penelope to move in with him. "I'll make room; it will be nice."

She didn't want anyone _making room_ so she'd fit in their life. Morgan had a room, a big ol' room for her, and no complicated relationship to go with it. Kevin would just have to deal.

Morgan's house wasn't big, but it was kind of empty. It screamed bachelor, which didn't surprise her in the least. If Morgan was anything, he was a confirmed bachelor. The revolving door of women in and out of his life made her dizzy. He had one girlfriend for a little longer, Tamara, but she was out of the picture now. He didn't seem that down about it, but he didn't usually talk to her about that kind of thing.

She was unpacking a box in her bathroom, all the things necessary to make herself presentable in the morning, when he walked in behind her. "Got it all set?"

She smiled at him, but it didn't quite meet her eyes. She was still very nervous, feeling like an interloper in his life. "Yep, I think I do."

He pulled her into his arms and held her against his chest. "I'm glad you're here, P. Don't forget that."

It was exactly what she needed to hear. She took a deep breath and rested her cheek against his hard chest. "Thank you, sweet cheeks. I'm glad to be here."

**********

It ended up being more fun than she ever anticipated. It started the first night. They ordered a big pizza, popped some beers and watched a movie. Derek had been to her house numerous times to watch some flick or another, but they rarely went to his house. They were missing out. He had surround sound, high definition everything, a technical movie fantasyland.

"Why the heck didn't we come here years ago?" she said. "_This_ is how you should watch a movie!"

"I asked, but you seemed so set on staying at your place, I just went along with it."

She glared at him. "You didn't tell me you had a flipping theater in your house!"

"It wouldn't have made a difference," he said, a smirk beginning. "It's hard getting you senior people out of your communities."

She threw popcorn at him for that. He just grinned, then put an arm around her, pulling her closer to his side. As she rested, her cheek against his shoulder, watching _Top Gun_, it couldn't have been any better than it was right now.

*******

Next few days were just as nice. They were home a lot; it surprised her how domesticated they were. For instance, tonight they were in the kitchen, trying to make some Italian thing that looked good in the picture of a cookbook he had.

Speaking of looking good, Penelope couldn't help but stare at him. He was just so relaxed, at ease in his own surroundings, like a lion in the middle of the Savannah. He had a white sweater on, jeans, and his feet were bare. He was chopping some mushrooms, concentrating on making them small enough.

She brought her attention back to the sauce she was trying to make. "I'm not the best cook," she said, mixing the tomato sauce. "I try, but no one really showed me, and to be honest, I didn't really want to learn."

"I have a secret for making everything better," he said. He opened a bottle of Pinot Noir, took a swig, then poured some in the sauce. He handed her the bottle. "Works for most chefs."

She agreed, nodding and taking a sip, too. He took it back, and took another drink. It was strangely intimate, drinking out of the same bottle as him. "Must be something to it."

"Ready to give the sauce a try?" he said hopefully.

She took the wooden spoon and taste-tested the sauce. "Not bad," she said, smiling.

He was waiting expectantly. She dipped the spoon in and held it up to him. Instead of taking the spoon from her, he held her hand and brought the spoon to his mouth. "Delicious," he said, his eyes twinkling.

Penelope's breath caught in her chest, but she quickly dashed it away. The man loved to tease twenty-four seven. She wasn't always on her A game like he was. She had to think quickly. She whispered under lowered lashes,"If you think that's tasty, wait until later tonight."

His eyes flared hot with his seductive little smile, and she couldn't help the tingle that happened down her spine. _Tease_, she thought. _He's a tease. Stop thinking and_ _just enjoy the dinner_.

The dish turned out great, but the conversation was even better. They talked about work, about their lives, about everything, until everything was stone cold. They cleaned the kitchen, still talking until it was after midnight and they both had to turn in.

It really couldn't have been a better night. Life with Morgan was proving to be interesting. He was right; it was a lot of fun. She didn't realize he was going to become an even better friend than he was before. He wasn't just fun and likable; she really _liked_ him. He was good, kind, and a great listener.

Lying in bed, Penelope was thinking with a smile on her face: That dinner didn't look anything like the picture, but it was absolutely perfect.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

_AN: Yay! I'm home, so I can post. Your reviews make me so happy. Thank you again. We're starting to move in the right direction......_

Derek had to admit it, having Penelope living at his place simply made life much better. Not that his life was bad before; he had a great life. However, seeing her, every day, having her to talk to and be with, made all the difference. He thought life was great, but now he realized it was kind of lonely before. He grew up in a house with loud sisters that he teased like crazy, and a mom that cared about him. He went from all that love to being by himself for nearly twenty years. He thought that was what he wanted. He must've thought wrong.

She'd been staying with him for two weeks now. Every night they hung out, having a blast with some thing or another. She was a lot of fun, especially fun to tease. Not like he used to tease his sisters. Hell no, this was a lot of sexy fun she dished right back at him. He loved getting a rise out of her, and had to admit he got a rise, too, sometimes. He was finding out the pleasure he had being around her was a lot more than just teasing fun.

For instance, he was out of town for two days. For the first time ever, he was in a rush to get home, because he had someone to come home to. He told himself it was crazy to feel that way, they were just friends. He even had a girlfriend and she had Lynch. Still, he wanted to get home to Penelope, to tell her all about what happened. He never rushed back to tell Heather about anything.

He couldn't figure out what made Penelope so different. Probably because she understood his job completely, knew the toll it took because it took a toll on her, too. Or maybe because she was such a good listener that made him open up to her. She knew when he just needed to talk, and when he just needed to be quiet and vegetate with her when a case was done. She didn't just know about him, or what he liked, or what his favorite things were. She knew _him_. He shared his life with her; he never shared the real him with any other woman before.

He was always close to her, she was his solace, but now it took on a completely different meaning. He knew it was unfair to her, but he couldn't help it. He started wishing with all his heart she wouldn't find a new place.

Today was a particularly bad day. Thank God it was Friday, so he could have the weekend to hang with her and heal, before going back to face the monsters again. He walked in, tossing his coat aside. "Baby, I'm home."

"Hey hot stuff," she called from the other room. He walked in, and lost his breath.

She was dressed up, looking in the mirror, putting some lip gloss on those full lips of hers. She usually dressed nice, was very put together, but tonight, she looked like a tiger on the prowl. She was a walking goddess, all soft curves and sex, dripping pure sensual goodness.

She looked over, and gave him a sad little smile. "Rotten day, huh?"

He knew he looked tired, and the stress of the day must've showed on his face. "Yeah," he said, but then smiled and gave a low whistle. "But that can change quickly."

Her smile grew. "Got a hot date tonight?"

For some reason, it didn't occur to him until that moment; she wasn't dressed up for him. She wasn't going out with him. A strange, sick feeling swept over him. He didn't like it; that feeling needed to go. "Looks like you do," he answered, a quick grin hiding any lingering feeling.

She was beaming. "It's a space-con festival with Kevin. Should be a lot of fun; I might even meet someone famous."

He smirked a little. "Sounds like fun. Not my cup of tea, but hey: to each their own."

"Who are you going out with?"

"I'm going to call and see if Heather wants to dance."

She looked confused. "Heather?"

"Flight attendant I met the other day." He grinned and wiggled his eyebrows. "Five eight, stacked… life is good."

She laughed and shook her head. "Same old, same old with you, sweet cheeks."

He arched a brow, giving her a pointed look. "Could say the same about you, same ol' Lynch…"

"Touché." Just then, they heard the honking of a car horn. She smiled, "That's Kevin. I better go." She walked over and kissed him on the cheek. "See you later, Morgan."

"Be good, baby," he said.

"Oh, mon cher; I'm always good," she said, giving him a sultry look, before shutting the door and running out.

Within a second after the door shut, his grin faded. The fucker couldn't even come to the door for her; he honked and expected her to come running! She deserved so much better. Then he shook his head and picked up the phone.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4  
_AN: This is the most angst that this story has. Morning edition. Afternoon, we heat things up..._

The next two weeks, they were enjoying domestic bliss. Penelope really thought most of the time living with Derek was perfect. She was having the most fun. They ate dinner together, folded laundry and shopped together. They would cuddle on the couch, he'd rub her shoulders or she'd rub his, and they'd watch TV. They liked any stupid sitcom. Actually, they'd watch anything but a crime drama.... Too close to work!

Once, she fell asleep on his chest. The next thing she knew, she woke up to him murmuring, "Put your arms around my neck." She did as he bade her; he picked her up, carrying her down the hall to her room. She nuzzled into the warm front of his shirt, the smell of his soap and what was uniquely him making her smile. He laid her in the bed, covered her up, and leaned over her.

For a moment, she held her breath. He was looking at her with such a look, it was hard to decipher. She thought he was going to kiss her; in her heart, she knew she wouldn't have turned him away. Actually, he did kiss her: right on her forehead.

At that point, she knew she was falling for Derek. She always had a substantial crush on him, hottie that he was, but there was much more depth to him than anyone knew. He was sweet, kind, warm, a great listener. He blew Kevin out of the water. He was her friend, nothing more. She had to fight to remember: this was not real.

She had to stop dreaming this could be something permanent and start living in reality. She needed to enjoy what she had with him now, and not think about how real it felt. He was becoming her best friend, it should've been enough for her. He was fantastic and so caring, she shouldn't be wanting anything more. It was an almost perfect arrangement.

Almost perfect.

The only hitch was Heather. Penelope really didn't like the woman. She was this ditzy auburn redhead with the IQ of her shoe size, breasts that rivaled Penelope's, and legs that didn't end. Derek drooled over her. Watching them together was not a good thing.

Derek brought her home twice now. The first time, it was just a brief stop. Penelope was going to surprise Derek by making the same spaghetti sauce they made the first time they cooked together. She thought it would be sort of an anniversary thing for them, one month since she moved in.

Derek showed up, but Heather was there, too. They were going to go out, but she just let him have the food she made instead. Heather offered for her to join them, but she didn't want to be an interruption. Besides, she didn't feel hungry anymore; she completely lost her appetite. She fell asleep; cursing herself for forgetting this wasn't real, for making a stupid anniversary dinner anyway. They were just roommates, not a couple.

The second time, they were in the house already. She was out with Kevin and had a massive fight. He still hated that she lived with Morgan and was still trying to get her to move in with him. However, Penelope didn't want to leave; she hoped she never had to leave.

She told Kevin he needed to stop pushing; she wanted just a roommate like Morgan. She really did, she just had to get the other feelings in check.

Kevin scowled. "He won't let you stay only his roomie, Penny. I know it."

She seriously thought Kevin overestimated her powers of seduction.

Kevin brought her back, and she practically jumped out of the car when he stopped. She saw Derek's truck, was looking forward to his company. When she walked in, and saw him kissing the hell out of Heather on the couch, it felt like a punch.

She was madder at herself than she was at Derek for letting it effect her so much. The situation was ribald with irony; the two had _When Harry Met Sally…_ playing in the background, a movie about two best friends falling in love.

She tried to sneak by, but Heather heard her. "Oh, Penelope," she said, pulling down her shirt. "We thought you'd be out."

"No worries," she said. She looked at him, not Heather. "It's Derek's house; he can do as he pleases. Have fun, you two."

Then she went to her room and started to look through the want ads for apartments. She couldn't do this, couldn't watch him with another girl. He meant too much to her now.

After a few self-pitying tears, she came to a conclusion. She didn't need to move, she just needed to distance her heart from Derek Morgan. He was dangerous; every female around him would have a hard time not loving him. She'd listen, she'd flirt, she'd have her fun with him, but she'd remember first and foremost- he was not hers.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

_AN: I think we're learning something now...._

Derek knew he was in deep trouble. He was trying his best to be just a friend to his roommate, but she wasn't making it easy for him. He used to think about her a lot, just because she was so fun and such a cute little flirt, but now it was bordering on obsession.

It started to get worse the first night she left him to go out with Lynch. Sometimes it took something that obvious to make him realize what he was missing. She seemed happy with Kevin, so he couldn't do anything to break it up.

So he did what he was good at doing for a really long time; ignored what his heart was telling him.

The more domesticated they became, the more he wanted her. She was so comfortable around him, she folded her lacy underwear with him right there. He wanted her to model them for him; actually, he requested it and she laughed at him.

He wasn't joking. There were these little white bikini style ones with cherries on them he was dying to see on, but she didn't know that. He pictured those on her a million times now, and he pictured himself kissing his way up her thigh, then peeling those off…

_Shit!_ he thought. It was like this every single night now. He was hot, painfully aroused, and jealous of stupid ass Lynch. He needed to shake this, or he was going to lose her. He tried to shake it. His solution was spending more time with Heather, who wanted him as much as he wanted Penelope.

He even brought her home, started kissing her on the couch. He was getting into it, too; she was a decent kisser. Then he realized, he wasn't picturing Heather on the couch, Heather's mouth, or Heather's breathless sighs. That honor went to his baby girl. At that point, he didn't care. He needed some relief, and if he had to fantasize that this woman was Penelope, he would.

He was kissing her hard, enjoying her moans and how she cupped him through his jeans. She broke away from the kiss. "Ooh," she said, "So nice, bi-"

"Don't talk," he growled, stopping her from interrupting his fantasy, before kissing her again. He tugged her shirt out of her waistband, his hands reached down to hold her ass, pulling her closer. Once she was close enough, his hand was up her shirt. No surprise; they were implants, but they were nice anyway. He almost laughed; he could pretend those were the real thing, too.

Heather jerked away quickly. "Oh, Penelope," she said. "We thought you were out for the evening."

He watched as his baby girl looked embarrassed for walking in, then basically stated she didn't care what he did. He thought she didn't want him before; he absolutely knew she didn't now.

Knowing that didn't stop him from wanting her. He thought he did a pretty good job hiding it, plus he wasn't around very much this week. Not that distance mattered; the adage _absence makes the heart grow fonder_ was true.

They still had a great time when they were together. It was a little strained, but the good humor was still mostly there. He was really trying; he didn't want her to leave. He was starting to think he was a masochist. He was damned if she left, damned if she stayed.

He walked in; she was getting ready to go out with Kevin again. He knew because she was dressed in some low cut thing her magnificent breasts were almost falling out of. It seemed every other Friday, Penelope went out with Lynch. He had plans with Heather tonight, so it was all good.

Still, he couldn't stop himself from sounding a bit snide. "Hot date with Ol' Lynch, huh?"

"Yeah," she said flatly, barely smiling back at him. Then she shuttered that look; her expression changed to something of interest. "Seeing Heather?"

"Of course," he said. He grumbled under his breath. He hated watching her go out with Lynch, it drove him crazy. Still, she was his friend, he needed to be civil. "What are you two doing?"

"Going to a forum on programming, then going out to dinner," she said.

"Sounds thrilling," he mocked. "Have a blast."

She glared at him. "And what are _you_ going to do? Watch Heather on a pole?"

She floored him. That was catty; Penelope was never catty.

Her eyes widened, like she had made a misstep, but then she tried to cover. "Just kidding; she's gorgeous, Derek. I'm sorry I said that. I--"

"It's ok," he said softly. Her catty comment really struck a chord in him.

She turned about two shades of pink before saying, "I..um.. I really have to go."

"Have a nice night."

She left quickly.

He smiled bigger than he had in two weeks now; all because she gave him something to think about.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6  
_AN: I really like this chapter… You can probably guess why..Decided to post a little early, 'cause I don't know if I can get on tomorrow…_

She had a headache. A real whopper of a headache clustered right in the middle of her forehead. It was a miserable forum, a miserable dinner, and an extremely miserable ride home. It was nearly two AM; she just wanted to go home.

It started on a bad note. The forum was on a system that was obsolete before it even started. It was such a bomb, it made blunders like New Coke and the Edsel look like genius moves.

Then Kevin insisted on going to this new Thai restaurant that had a two hour wait. By the time the food arrived, she was starving. Unfortunately, it was cold, greasy, and rather nasty. She ate it anyway. Now, she had a spicy mass in the bottom of her gut.

But the worst part of the night, by far, was the ride home. Kevin insisted on taking the scenic route home. A half hour into the drive, she tried to reason with him. "Kevin, I am really tired, and I have a raging headache. I just want to go home."

"Home, Penelope?" He sneered. "You mean Derek's place, not home. That isn't your home, you know. It's been two months; when are you leaving?"

She glared at Kevin. She'd had enough. "Listen here, you cretin. Drive me home now, or I will sic a virus on your hard drive so severe, you will be crying to your mommy!"

Kevin stiffened and became very quiet. Wisely, he drove her home, which was all that mattered to her. When he pulled up to her curb, he locked the doors. "He doesn't love you, Penny. He will never love you like you love him."

She turned to swear at him, but stopped. His face was sincere, which threw her completely for a loop. She just wanted to leave. "Open the door, Kevin."

"I don't want you hurt," he said, flicking the lock. "Remember that."

She was that obvious; even Kevin knew she loved Derek. It floored her, she wasn't ready for the world, and especially Morgan, to know how she felt. She opened the door and got out quickly. She needed to work hard on not being obvious to him. She fought back tears on her way up to the house.

Derek was watching the clock. Where the hell was she? He was pacing the kitchen like a caged tiger, thinking of all the options. Nothing this late at night was open, but nothing had to be open for her to be having a hell of a lot of fun, now did it?

He grabbed his beer and took a big swig. He thought about her little comment about Heather and the pole, seriously hoping it was jealousy that made her say it. It was a catty, jealous, beautiful sort of remark that made his day. He cut his date short with Heather, just so he could come home and talk to her about it. He was ready to really talk to her, get how he felt out in the open, once and for all.

Six hours later, sitting alone waiting, he knew he had made a huge mistake.

He was ready to give her everything; she didn't want it. She was out having a blast with Lynch. And what was he doing? Instead of having a good time with a redhead who adored him, he was miserable, thinking of all sorts of things a curvy little blonde was doing with her geeky boyfriend for the past five hours.

He heard the key in the door and turned to watch her walk in. She looked surprised. "Oh, you're still up!"

"Yeah," he said, turning to the counter to grab his beer. He took a drink, and looked away from her.

Something was wrong, she could tell. She was glad to see him, but he was edgy; everything from his posture to the way he held his beer told her something was definitely off. She decided to try to soothe the problem. She went to put a hand on his arm, "Derek, what's the matter?"

He shook her arm off. He was glaring at her. "Nothing's the matter. I'm fine. Just leave it, P."

Maybe it was the stress of the evening, maybe it was her headache she still had throbbing in her head, but she saw red. "What is your problem, Morgan?" she said, scowling. "Didn't your date with your Heather leave the terminal?"

"Leave Heather out of this; we're good. It's late; just go to bed," he said, before he gave her a mocking half grin. "You must be tired after all that excitement you had tonight."

"It was fine," she lied.

"Sure," he said, his mouth quirking into a smile that didn't meet his eyes. "I bet it was absolutely scintillating."

She pursed her lips. She was so tired of him mocking her and Kevin. "Oh, it was," she purred. "It was fascinating."

He snickered, a nasty little laugh. "I believe that."

She scowled. "I had an excellent time. It was very satisfying."

"Bullshit," he swore swiftly. "Lynch wouldn't know how to satisfy a woman if she wrote a fucking book for him."

"Leave Kevin out of this," she snapped back at him. "Besides, you think you know how to satisfy a woman-"

"I don't_ think_ I do, baby girl," he said softly. "I _know_ I do."

She looked at him and her mouth went completely dry. The air sizzled between them with heat and something else ripe and ready to burst. Her breaths were coming in little pants; it was hard to breathe.

He took a few steps closer to her and gently put his fingertips under her chin. "Do you want me to show you?"

He was looking expectantly at her, waiting for an answer. His eyes were dark, nearly black, and so velvety hot. They were locked with hers; she couldn't look away, even if she tried. Although she wasn't trying. She felt chills of awareness for the man in front of her roll down her spine, and her heart was pounding. He looked like he could eat her alive, he looked so hungry for her.

She couldn't say a word. Her heart was pounding in her chest, and her mind was screaming, _Run!_

However, her heart, and her eyes, must have said something different. For in the next instant, he pulled her into his arms and started to kiss her like she always wanted him to kiss her.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

_AN: Everyone was so kind reviewing; I got on here before work and posted this. I will answer reviews later when I can. _

Penelope's heart was thundering in her chest as Derek continued to kiss her. It was a deep, carnal kiss, strong but soft, dizzying in intensity. It was unlike any other kiss she ever had before. She opened her mouth, and his tongue slid, slippery and sweet, against hers.

He took his time kissing her, like he had forever just to play with her mouth. His teeth nibbled her bottom lip, his tongue searched and quested. It was heavenly, what his mouth could do. She was meeting his kisses greedily, trying to consume him like he was consuming her.

She began to sway towards his chest, trying to press herself against him. But before she could do that, he pulled away from her and dropped his hands from her face. She whimpered from the loss and opened her eyes.

He gave her a little smirk that stopped her heart. "Come on, baby," he said, reaching for her hand and leading her to his bedroom. He pulled off his shirt, the muscles in his chest flexing with his movement. He reached for her, pulling her into his arms, and kissed the side of her neck, right under her ear.

"I have wanted to do this since the first moment I saw you in Quantico," he murmured huskily against the side of her throat.

She didn't have a chance to doubt what he said. She was too busy enjoying the feel of his bare chest under his fingers. She slid her hands down over his belly, then back up to his shoulders, the softness of his skin a direct contrast to the underlying hardness of muscle. It was a unique thrill, getting to touch him after wanting to for so many years.

She felt him watching her. He didn't stop her touching him; their mutual hunger made it impossible to deny each other anything. But it was hard for him to remain passive, to let her play. His eyes were hot, dark, and somewhat wild. It brought a thrill of anticipation down her spine.

"It's only fair I get my turn now," he said,

They made love.

**For More of this chapter, please see my profile!**


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

_AN: Thanks again for the reviews everyone. I am really overwhelmed at the response. We're almost there....._

After that night, there was no pretense of Penelope going to her own room anymore at night. She had some reservations the next night, she didn't know what he expected. She sat on the couch with him, watching a movie and relaxing, his arm holding her by his side. He yawned; it didn't surprise her that he was tired. They made love two more times before they decided to get up. She was tired, too.

However, watching him yawn, his muscles moving under his shirt, woke up other parts of her. She blushed. Good Lord, she was insatiable! She was actually a little sore from all that vigorous activity last night, but she wanted him still. She couldn't imagine this feeling fading. This was not good, not good at all.

"I'm hitting the sack," he said, kissing the top of her head.

"Me, too," she said, snuggling a little more by his side. "I'm sore, and tired."

"You're sore, baby?" he said, concerned. His hand rubbed her back gently. "Why don't you use the whirlpool tub in my bathroom?"

He told her about that tub right after she moved in; he had a bum knee from college and liked to soak once in awhile. She never got around to using it yet. It seemed really intimate, using Derek's tub in his bathroom with all his personal stuff laying around. She didn't want to intrude in his sanctuary.

However, she couldn't have been anymore intimate with him then she was last night. She smiled walking down the hall; it didn't seem like a problem anymore.

She entered his room, ran the water, stripped naked and jumped in, turning on the jets. She had her head back, relaxing when he walked in. He was naked as the day he was born. He turned to brush his teeth, turned to wink at her, then turned back to rinse and floss.

She was watching his butt, his back, his legs, every gorgeous inch while he brushed. She couldn't help it; this was technically only the second time she saw him naked. He was such an awesome sight, he made her sweat. The whirlpool water suddenly felt a lot hotter.

"I can see you watching me in the mirror," he said, between flossing the top teeth and bottom teeth. He glanced in the mirror and smiled at her. "You're asking for it, you know."

"You're the one who walked in here naked," she said. "You asked for it."

He walked over to the edge of the tub. "I can't see you with all those bubbles," he said, staring at her. He flipped off the jets, causing the water to become calm and see-through. He smiled. "That's better." He was completely erect; it looked like she wasn't the only one who was insatiable.

She shot him a sultry look, then stood up, water droplets cascading down her body. He lifted her wet, slippery body out of the tub, carried her to the bed, and proceeded to make love to her.

It was liked that for the next three weeks; domestic bliss in the daytime, hot steamy nighttimes. At work, he'd find ways to sneak in little kisses, just to make her day brighter. To make things even better, Heather disappeared off the face of the earth. Derek never mentioned her name; she never mentioned Kevin either. Truth be told, she called Kevin and told him it was over the next day after she made love with Derek. She didn't think she could be much happier.

It was an almost idyllic existence.

Unfortunately, she felt it was too good, and far too fragile, to say something that might make it uncomfortable. She didn't want to say anything that might break the harmony they had. So she kept quiet, even when she wanted to say what was in her heart. Instead, she showed it in all the little things she did, and especially in bed.

And Derek? He showed it, too. He made love like his life depended on it, and she answered that desperation. That wasn't far from the truth; she couldn't imagine life without him.

Then they had their first argument, and it terrified her.

They didn't even sit by each other on the couch like they always did. She got up, stomped to her room, and went to bed. About two minutes into laying alone, she cooled down and was completely miserable. She thought about getting up and apologizing. She was used to his warm body next to hers, but it was so much more than that- It hurt her heart not to be near him.

Less then ten minutes later, he opened her door and climbed in behind her, wrapping his arms around her.

"What are you doing in here?" she said, surprised, turning in his arms to face him.

"Since you won't come to me, I'll come to you," he said. He stretched out, his feet were off the end of her bed. "I hate full size beds."

She smiled. "Well, next time let me win, and you won't have this problem."

"You little devil." He laughed, then kissed her. The teasing left; his eyes were warm and sincere. "I'm sorry."

Her heart ached. "No, no. I'm sorry. It was my fault."

"No, sweetheart," he said, kissing her. The way he looked, so sweetly apologetic, it was heartwarming. He needed her just as bad as she needed him. "I'm-"

She kissed him to stop him. It turned into soft, tender, caring lovemaking that brought tears to her eyes. At the end, she knew she had to tell him what was in her heart for the past month. She didn't want to stay for a few months, or even a few years. She wanted to stay forever with him. He had to know just how much he meant to her.

She waited just a minute for her courage to build, then kissed his chest where she was laying. "Derek, I--" She looked at him. He was sleeping. She sighed, then smiled, laying back down, holding him tighter. "I love you."

The next morning, Penelope walked to the kitchen. She was in her robe, drinking a cup of coffee when she noticed the light. There was a message on the answering machine. She took a sip and listened to the familiar voice. It was JJ, and she sounded ecstatic. "Penelope, did you look at the paper this weekend? There is a beautiful loft apartment not too far from the BAU with an opening now. I thought you should know, in case you want to check it out."

As she listened, her heart wrenched. "A place..." she said softly, knowing it would never be a home without Derek.

She heard a noise behind her, and she turned.

"You can't leave."


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9  
_AN: We're here! Thanks again for the great reviews, everyone. This has been really fun to write. An epilogue is coming....._

Derek felt like his world was crashing around him. The past three months had been the best he ever had in his life. He couldn't lose her, not now, not after he figured it all out.

He knew more than anything, she needed to stay. He didn't need her for a little while; he needed her forever. The idea of her leaving made him physically ill; this massive rising panic almost overwhelmed him.

He should've said it right away, should've told her he loved her, that he needed her to stay more than he needed anything in his life. He was so damn stupid, a damn stupid coward, and now she was looking at another place.

"Derek, I don't want to go. I like it here," she said, smiling. "With you."

"Please stay," he said, the worry showing on his face. A fierce need rose in him, one to claim her, not just in bed but everywhere. "I need you here."

"Hot stuff, I'll stay," she said, smiling at him.

"No! You don't understand, it's so much more. You have to stay," he said, shaking his head. "I have to say it. I have to tell you how much I need you, how lonely I am without you here."

She looked at him and she couldn't help smiling. He really didn't have to say it; it was written all over his face in bold, beautiful writing, he loved her. Still, she was going to soak it all in, then let him know how much she loved him, too.

"I didn't know until you came here, how much I was missing," he said, pulling her into his arms. "I had it all, thought I had it all, but I had nothing. Not until you. I need you to stay, Penelope."

"I'm staying, sugar," she said, squeezing him tighter. "Don't worry."

"I would come home and have nothing to come home to. Now, I'm rushing to get here. I didn't have a home until you." He smiled at her, the warmth in his eyes breathtaking. "Stay, because you make it home."

"I was thinking the exact same thing," she said, smiling at him. "I feel the same way."

He looked at her, his grin getting bigger. "You mean so much to me. You mean _everything_ to me. I wouldn't feel this way if I were just a friend to you. You know that, right?"

She laughed. "God, I should hope so! Otherwise, I would have to tell your friends to run and hide."

"So much more than just friendship, although we have that. So much more than just great sex," he said, then started to laugh a little. "Although we have that, too."

"No, I think it's something like lo-"

"Were you really going to say it first?" he said incredulously. "It's harder for men to say, you know. I have been busting my ass, trying to find the perfect way to say it, and you-"

"I love you, Derek Morgan! With all my heart." She grinned impishly. "Take that!"

He glared at her, but it didn't meet his eyes. "Oh, that's it; you're going to get it now!"

She squeaked, turning to run. She barely made it to the bedroom before he tackled her on the bed. "Oh, shit. I'm in trouble…"

"Don't think because I love you, it's going to stop me from giving you the punishment you so desperately need," he forewarned her, straddling her hips.

"I really do love you too, hot stuff." She batted big, soft brown eyes up at him. He couldn't doubt her sincerity.

"That's nice," he said, his eyes warm and soft. Then he smirked. "But that's not going to help you either."

He began tickling her immediately, until she was breathless and begging. "Uncle! Uncle!" she cried, trying to get away, but he didn't stop. "Baby,…please!"

He rolled over, bringing her on top of him. She was flushed pink, and so damn cute. She was also exhausted from giggling. Now he had the floor; she couldn't talk if she wanted to.

"I love you, Penelope. More than I have ever loved anything in my life," he said, rubbing her back. "And I am so glad you are going to stay."

She sighed, looking down at him. "You are a stinker, but I do love you."

He grinned, then brought his hands up to her face. His eyes flared hot, filled with wicked intentions. "I'll make it up to you…"


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10- The epilogue

_AN: *Pout* I am sad this is finishing; I loved writing this puppy! Thanks to all that reviewed, it made my day! Kricket_

After about a week of having the knowledge they were "together" together to just themselves, they decided to tell the rest of the team Penelope's move was permanent. There were a few shocked faces, but most didn't seem to think it was that big of a deal.

"Actually, you two are very average," Reid began, his brows knitting as he recalled some facts. "Eighty-Nine percent of non-sexual opposite gender roommates end up having a sexual relationship; unless there is a big age difference, or the male is gay."

Derek smirked. "No chance in hell of that."

"Average?" Garcia questioned, absolutely offended. "There is nothing average about us! Get over here, you.."

Reid gulped and quickly scampered away from the angry tech girl now giving chase.

Rossi put a hand on Derek's shoulder. "Never going to be bored with that cat and mouse, are you?"

"Hell, no," he said, smiling.

"Good luck to you," Rossi said. He whispered conspiratorially, "Warning, Derek: women… they're trouble."

In that moment, he was struck with how lucky he was. He looked at the joking, smiling Rossi, and thought about how his relationships ended. He truly felt blessed. "She understands me, Dave," he said softly. "I never thought I'd have that."

"Oh, Morgan," Prentiss said, a quirky look between happiness, disgust, and astonishment. "Boy, did you fall hard."

"What's wrong with that?" Hotch asked, his eyes twinkling a bit.

"It's like watching my big brother get all moony over a girl." She made a face. "Yuck!"

"Okay! You're not average!" Reid was yelling from across the bullpen, still darting around desks away from a giggling Garcia. "Although statistics do say..."

"You better save Spencer," JJ said to Morgan. "She always teases she's going to braid his hair."

Morgan laughed, shaking his head, and quickly intercepted Garcia at the next turn. "Whoa, slow down there, baby," he said, pulling her into his arms.

She was flushed and pink, merriment still in her eyes. "Hey hot stuff, what's up?"

"Only person you can chase around here is me," he said, his eyes growing lazy and sexy.

"Only if you let me catch you."

His mouth lowered to just above hers. "Wouldn't have it any other way," he said, and kissed her, despite the whistles and giggles of the team around them.


End file.
